Carpal-tunnel Study

News to note - Science & Medicine

July 15, 2001

Contrary to popular belief, extensive use of computers doesn't raise a person's risk of developing carpal-tunnel syndrome, a new study asserts. The study, by neurologists at the Mayo Clinic, did find a lot of complaints among heavy computer users, but mostly they didn't meet the medical definition of carpal-tunnel syndrome, which is common among workers in meatpacking plants and some other industrial settings. The study, published in the journal Neurology, examined 257 people. Among those who used computers six hours daily, on average, about 30 percent complained of pain in their hands. Upon further examination, however, the neurologists concluded that only nine people, or 3.5 percent of the group studied, actually suffered from carpal-tunnel syndrome.

VITAMINS, CANCER PATIENTS

For the many cancer patients who suffer pain, bleeding, incontinence and diarrhea after radiation therapy, there is new hope for relief. Though radiation kills cancer cells, it also damages nearby healthy cells, causing them to release harmful free radicals that cause the condition known as proctitis. Most patients recover from radiation damage, but about 20 percent experience lingering symptoms for which there has been no effective therapy. Reporting in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, Dr. Keith Bruninga of Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago said daily doses of two potent free-radical-fighting vitamins, C and E, quickly helped patients recover from proctitis.

HEART DISEASE REPORT

For young men who smoke and have high cholesterol and blood pressure, the writing is on the wall with regard to their future risk of developing heart disease. Northwestern University Medical School researchers followed more than 11,000 men aged 18 to 39 years for 20 years. Their findings: High cholesterol increased the risk of heart disease by 92 percent, high blood pressure increased it 20 percent to 32 percent, and smoking increased it 36 percent.

BUGS HURT WIND POWER

Engineers have long been baffled by the fact that the power of wind-power turbines can drop dramatically while operating in high winds. Researchers have finally found an explanation -- bugs splattered on the blades appear to be to blame. Gustave P. Corten and Herman F. Vedkamp of the Energy Center of The Netherlands studied the air flow over turbine blades that had been "artificially roughened on their leading edges" to mimic the build-up of dead bugs. They found that their alterations mimicked the effect of dead bugs. "These potentially catastrophic power glitches can be prevented simply by cleaning the blades," the researchers wrote in the July 5 issue of Nature.

SEALS' SENSITIVE WHISKERS

Many creatures that live in the sea have to forage for food in dark, murky waters where they can't rely on their vision. Some animals, such as dolphins, have sophisticated hearing abilities to locate objects and other creatures. But that's not the case for seals. So it's been unclear how they find their food. Now, research indicates seals have incredibly sensitive whiskers that allow them to detect minute water movements made by swimming fish far away.